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Voykit pocket guide · Botswana
Gaborone
Give Gaborone one full day on the way to the safari circuit: the monuments, one game reserve and a mall dinner. Two nights maximum.
Gaborone is Botswana's capital and its administrative heart, a planned 1960s city of government offices, malls and low-rise suburbs spread about 15 km east to west. It is not a safari destination, but it is a clean, functioning stopover with a handful of genuine sights, two nearby game reserves and the country's main airport. Most travellers pass through in a day or use it as a first or last night before flying to Maun or Kasane.
- Country
- Botswana
- Best months
- Apr–Sep (dry, mild)
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (hot, afternoon storms)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BWP
- Money
- Currency is the Botswana pula (BWP), about 13–14 per US$ in 2026 (check). Most safari camps are paid in advance in US dollars; cards work in Maun, Kasane and Gaborone.
- Daily spend
- Budget P450–750 excl. bed · Mid P750–1,400 excl. bed · High P1,400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Mascom, Orange and BTC (beMOBILE) sell SIMs with passport registration in Maun, Kasane and Gaborone.
- Emergency
- Police 999 · Ambulance 997 · Fire 998
- Plugs
- Types D, G, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · UK-style G is common in towns; camps have limited charging, often by solar.
- Tipping
- Safari guide: US$15–25 per guest per day.; Camp staff (shared box): US$10–15 per guest per day.; Mokoro poler: US$10–20 per day.; Transfer driver: US$5–10.; Restaurant: About 10%.
- Water
- Tap water is treated in towns; camps provide filtered water.
- Toilets
- Flush toilets in towns and camps; long drop at some public campsites.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| White-box lunch (rice, veg and meat) in the government district | P10–20 |
| Restaurant main course | P40–120 |
| Coffee or soft drink | P15–35 |
| Cinema seat | P40 |
| Combi ride | P6 |
| Public taxi ride | P7 |
| Cab or special, cross-town | P20–30 |
| Airport taxi to the centre | P150 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GBE · Sir Seretse Khama International
- About 15 km (9.3 mi) north of the centre; taxi to town roughly P150, less on the return.About 9.3 mi (15 km) north of the centre; taxi to town roughly P150, less on the return.
Typical fares
- Airport (GBE) → city centre, taxi
- about P150, 20–30 min
- Combi ride
- P6
- Public taxi ride
- P7
- Cab or special, cross-town
- P20–30
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No useful public transport for visitors. Combis (white minivans) run set routes for about P6 and public taxis for about P7, but both follow fixed lines. For door-to-door use a cab or a "special": most trips run P20–30, and hiring one driver by phone for the day is the usual arrangement. Give plot numbers or landmark names, not street names.
See and do
Known for
- Three Dikgosi Monument
- Kgale Hill
- Mokolodi Nature Reserve
- Government Enclave modern architecture
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mokolodi Nature Reserve | Taxi or self-drive about 15 km (9.3 mi) south-west of the centreTaxi or self-drive about 9.3 mi (15 km) south-west of the centre | Half day |
| Gaborone Game Reserve | Self-drive east of the centre, near Maaloso | 2–3 h |
| Oodi Weavers | Drive about 5 km (3.1 mi) east of Phakalane on the Modipane roadDrive about 3.1 mi (5 km) east of Phakalane on the Modipane road | Half day |
| Kanye | Bus or drive south-west on the A2 | check |
| Mochudi | Drive or bus north on the A1 | check |
Sleep
- City centre / Main Mall
- Walk to the monuments, government buildings and the bus station; best for one night without a car.
- Broadhurst / Airport area
- Guesthouses and lodges near GBE; convenient for early flights, quiet at night.
- Game City / Riverwalk malls
- Hotel clusters with restaurants and cinemas; you will need taxis or a car for everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Dumeladoo-MEH-lah |
| Thank you | Ke a lebogakeh ah leh-BOH-hah |
| How much is it? | Ke bokae?keh boh-KAH-eh |
| Where is the toilet? | Ntlwana e kae?ntlwah-nah eh KAH-eh |
| Please | Tsweetsweetsweh-t-sweh |
| Goodbye | Sala sentlesah-lah SEN-tleh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Dumela Rra / Mma' before anything; avoid: Skipping the greeting
- Handshake: Hold your right forearm with your left hand when shaking or giving; avoid: Limp or one-handed passing of objects to elders
- In camp: Follow the escort rule after dark; avoid: Walking alone to your tent
- Photos: Ask first in villages; avoid: Photographing officials or buildings
Scams and watch-outs
- Kgale Hill: only climb when other cars are in the car park, ideally weekday late afternoon; there have been knife robberies on the empty path.
- Do not swim in the Gaborone Dam: bilharzia and crocodiles.
- Baboons and monkeys at Kgale Hill and the Gaborone Game Reserve — keep food out of sight.
- Border buses have left passengers behind at the South Africa–Botswana crossing; keep your documents and watch the driver.
The documented risk is Kgale Hill: climb only when other cars are in the car park, ideally weekday late afternoon — there have been knife robberies on the empty path. Do not swim in the Gaborone Dam (bilharzia and crocodiles). Use a cab or special at night and agree the fare before you get in.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gaborone yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Three Dikgosi Monument
- Kgale Hill
- Mokolodi Nature Reserve
- Government Enclave modern architecture
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Botswana Tourism Organisation — Gaborone: www.botswanatourism.co.bw/explore/gaborone
- Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (CAAB): www.caab.co.bw/sir-seretse-khama-international-airport/
- Wikivoyage: Gaborone, revision 5284438 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5284438
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Gaborone
Kwa atereseng eno, tsweetswee
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies and high commissions are in Gaborone itself, including the US Embassy; check the official list before you travel.
Setswana spelling varies; say it as written and people will meet you halfway.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/gaborone). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.